Posts Tagged With: education

Hello Armadillos

Posted on January 10, 2018 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Hello Armadillos

Aaaah the armadillo, an animal many in the southern United States associate with road kill. But there are 20 species of armadillos in the world, each one neat in their own respects. We went looking for the biggest armadillo of the them all- the giant armadillo! This species is not to be confused with the extinct Glyptodon – a car sized relative of the armadillo that lived during the Pleistocene epoch! Our giant armadillo friend is not that big- but they are cool!

 

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Giant Armadillo Fun Facts: 

  • The giant armadillo has 11-13 bands.
  • They can grow up to 39 inches long and weigh up to 72 lbs. There have been a few found that weigh 180 lbs.
  • They have the most teeth of any mammal- 80 to 100 per armadillo!
  • These solitary nocturnal animals live in burrows.
  • Giant armadillos are insectivores. They eat termites, ants, worms and spiders. They can consume the entire population of one termite mound.
  • They have the proportional claw of any mammal. This is their 3rd curved claw.
  • Giant armadillos can not roll up completely in to a ball.
  • Due to hunting, giant armadillos are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

 

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These giant armadillos are so amazing! Little is known about them in the wild. No scientists have ever seen a juvinelle giant armadillo in the wild!

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, mammals, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hello Birdie!

Posted on January 9, 2018 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Hello Birdie!

We are meeting a little bird of the Pantanal today! Come join us!

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Chestnut-bellied guan fun facts: 

  • These birds prefer higher ground.
  • They resemble turkeys, but are not.
  • They have chestnut brown bellies and red waddles.
  • They have a rough crow like call.
  • They are about 21 inches long.
  • They are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.

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These funny looking birds remind of us of a turkey and a roadrunner. They are super cool!

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Marshy Deer

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Marshy Deer

We are meeting one of the iconic animals of the Pantanal today-the Marsh Deer! Woohoo- we won’t delay meeting today’s animal!

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Marsh Deer Fun Facts: 

  • The deer is the largest deer species in South America.
  • They can grow up to 6 feet long and weigh up to 275 lbs.
  • Marsh deer are known to be very shy.
  • Only the males have antlers that grow up to 1 foot.
  • These marsh dwellers have wide set hooves that are covered with a stretchy membrane that gives the hoof more stability in the water filled habitat.
  • These herbivores prevere to live near areas of water.
  • They are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.

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These cute deer with their giant ears are so fun. They keep to themselves and spend most of their time munching on grasses.

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, mammals, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Pantanal

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Ellie and Edmond ©

EPantanal

Did you guess where this month’s adventure is? We’re in Brazil in the Pantanal region! This amazing habitat is rich with plants and animals and we’re so excited to see as much as possible! Come learn more about the Pantanal today with us!

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Pantanal Fun Facts: 

  • The Pantanal is mostly wetlands. Those wetlands are submerged in water during the rainy season.
  • The average temperate is 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 C).
  • Many of the species are aquatic.
  •  The word Pantanal comes from the Portogese word pantano that means wetland.
  • The average rainfall in this area is 40-55 inches.
  • There are about 3,500 plant species in this habitat.
  • This wetland is also home to almost 700 species of birds!

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This amazing habitat is very special. Unfornately on 2% of it is under protection. We will meet several animals that are endangered because of habitat loss. We hope you are ready to meet them with us!

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, fish, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Where Will the Next E&E Adventure Be?

Posted on January 2, 2018 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Where Will the Next E&E Adventure Be?

We are packed and ready to go on our next adventure. We are giving you clues to where we are heading as this habitat is not as well known as others for sure!

  • We’re going to South America.
  • It’s not the rainforest, but it is in Brazil.
  • There are giant areas of flood plains.
  • This habitat has a specific name.
  • It is a very biodiverse habitat.

Can you guess where we are going?

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Meet the King!

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Meet the King!

We met the king of Antarctica today! Most people think that all penguins call the South Pole home, but only 8 species live in this harsh environment. Today though we are meeting the King penguins. Sadly they don’t wear crowns.

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King Penguins Fun Facts: 

  • These birds are the 2nd largest penguin species in the world. Do you remember the largest?
  • Kings are easy to spot with their oranges spots on their heads and beaks and chests.
  • Both parents incubate the egg on their feet and brooding pouch, switching the egg every few weeks.
  • These efficient carnivores can dive as deep as 950 feet. More commonly they go around to 164 feet deep.
  • The chicks look very different than the adults. They are fluffy and brown! Scientists first thought they were a separate species when they first saw them.
  • Chicks stay with their parents and the colony for almost a year. This means king penguins only have one to two chicks every two-three years.
  • They are currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

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We love these gregarious birds and their bright orange colorations. They always make us and laugh and of course we always practice our waddling after seeing them.

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Whale Watching

Posted on December 14, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Whale Watching

Today we hoped on a boat to go whale watching. There are several species of whales that call these icy waters home- at least for part of the year. We found the big marine mammals we were looking for- YAY!

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Southern Right Whale Fun Facts: 

  • These baleen whales can grow up to 59 ft and weigh up to 99 tons.
  • There baleen plates grow out of the upper jaw and are over 9 feet long.
  • They have white callusites on their heads and mouths. These are home to whale lice- which are related to shrimp.
  • These whales never leave the Southern Hemisphere.
  • They have large heads. The head makes up a 1/4 of their body length.
  • Southern right whales are also most identical to their Northern right whale cousins.
  • Southern right whales are more acrobatic. They are known to do “head stands” in the water and wave their flukes.

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We had fun spotting the whales. They are often seen near boats and ships. Unfortunately that can lead to run ins, so it is important for boats to watch for them.

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, mammals, nature, oceans, science, Today's Post, whales, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Flying Snowbird

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Flying Snowbird

After meeting two marine loving animals, we wanted to find one that calls the air and ocean home. We were so excited to find the Snow Petrel.

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Snow Petrels Fun Facts: 

  • Snow petrels can vary in size, but can grow up to 1 lb.
  • They spend most of their lives alone, they come together in early November to breed in large colonies.
  • They are carnivores. They eat krill, fish and carrion.
  • They are highly territorial during breeding season.
  • Snow petrels spit an waxy stomach oil at predators to keep them away.
  • They have small dark beaks and eyes.
  • Snow petrels prefer packed ice and icebergs when they land. They nest on rocky areas where they make their nests of small pebbles.

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These gorgeous birds are so neat. When you think of Antarctica- you usually only think of penguins, but other birds call these cold islands home too.

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Seal of Fur

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Seal of Fur

We are meeting another wonderful inhabitant of Antarctica today- a large and in charge mammal- the fur seal. Good thing they have blubber because it is cold! Bbbbbrrr…

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Antarctic Fur Seal Fun Facts: 

  • These seals can grow up to 6 1/2 feet and weigh up to 475 lbs. Males are larger than females.
  • These carnivores eat up to a ton of food in a year! That is a lot of krill and fish.
  • The seals that call South Georgia Island home are the most dense population of marine mammals on earth.
  • Females spend most of their lives at sea. They come ashore to breed and raise their pups. Juvinelles will also spend most of their time at sea until they are mature enough to breed.
  • They can dive around 590 ft deep and remain underwater for about 10 minutes.
  • Males are very territorial of their breeding females. They are known for their fights between each other.
  • These seals are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

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We loved seeing these seals. This is their summer, so they are pups out and about. They begin to spend their time at sea at around 4 months! Wow- you grow up fast when you are an Antarctica Fur Seal.

Categories: adventure, Animals, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Emperors of the South Pole

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Emperors of the South Pole

We put on our warmest coats, gloves, hats and boots and headed out to the meet one of Antarcticas most iconic animals- the Emperor Penguin. These tall flightless birds live in a harsh climate, but they are built to survive.

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Emperor Fun Facts: 

  • These penguins can grow up to 45 inches and weigh up to 85 lbs! They are the largest penguins on earth.
  • These birds huddle together for warmth. The birds rotate from the interior of the group to the center.
  • They can dive 1,800 ft deep and stay under water for up to 20 minutes. They can dive deeper than any bird on the planet.
  • Females lay one egg. The males incubate the eggs on top of their feet. They cover the eggs with their brood pouch.
  • Females head out to the open ocean to gorge on food while the eggs are incubating.
  • When the chicks hatch, the females and males switch duties.
  • These big gorgeous birds are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

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We had fun watching these birds. They are very curious. We can not imagine living in the frigid temps though or swimming so much time in that cold ocean. This horse & elephant miss the warm weather.

Categories: adventure, Animals, birds, Children, conservation, education, endangered species, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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